In the care and treatment of some patients, it is sometimes necessary to monitor body temperature for extended periods of time and in the care of neonatal and premature infants, to control external heating as by radiant heaters in order to maintain a desired body temperature. It is common practice to attach the temperature sensing probe directly to the patient's body with a temperature probe cover that adhesively secures the temperature probe to the body and also thermally insulates the temperature probe from the ambient air and heat radiation so that the temperature probe can accurately respond to the temperature of the body. Although the temperature probe is relatively small in size, it can create an irritating pressure point when pressed against the body of the patient with an adhesive patch or cover pad for an extended period of time. Skin compatible acrylic adhesives are effective in anchoring the temperature sensors to the skin. However, such adhesives are very aggressive in terms of the degree of adhesion to the skin and can be disruptive of the frail skin of some patients such as neonatals and premature infants when removing the thermistor cover from the infant. Applicant has made temperature probe covers using hydrogel adhesive to attach the temperature probe cover to the skin. The hydrogel adhesive reduces laceration of the skin from that encountered with acrylic adhesives and also reduces the skin pressure point problem because the hydrogel can partially conform to the contour of the upper side of the temperature probe. Further, hydrogel adhesive facilitates removal and repositioning of the temperature probe cover on different portions of the patients body, as is frequently necessary when changing the position of the patient or when taking X-rays. However, hydrogel adhesives are not as effective as acrylic adhesives in anchoring the temperature probe to the skin and it has been found that tension on the probe lead wires, such as can occur when the patient moves or is moved to different positions, sometimes causes the temperature probe to be pulled completely out from between the temperature probe cover and the skin.
Some patients including neonatals and premature infants, sometimes require temperature monitoring and/or controlled heating for extended periods of several weeks or longer, and it is desirable to be able to replace the temperature probe covers and reuse the temperature probes one or more times on the patient.